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Jacksonville welcomes back two military combat ships

It was a ceremony welcoming two littoral combat ships, the USS Milwaukee and USS Detroit to Naval Station Mayport.

High-ranking officials for the ships and sailors were there for the ceremony, along with Rep. Ander Crenshaw who played a significant role in getting these ships here.

“I’ve been working on this for 10 years. I always knew the littoral combat ship was the ship of the future,” said Crenshaw.

Commanding Officer Michael Desmond brought Action News Jax on a tour of the USS Detroit. He described how littoral combat ships are different from others.

“The ships are very maneuverable. They’re low draft, meaning they only go about 14 feet beneath the water and are more flexible where they can go in shallow waters,” said Desmond.

Over the next year, three other littoral combat ships will make their way to Mayport. The ships will bring hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars to the local economy.